'Red Queen' Author Victoria Aveyard Signs Two-Book Deal

Courtesy of Harper

The best-selling YA series will get a fourth installment in 2018.

Victoria Aveyard, whose debut novel, Red Queen, made her the first author to have her debut novel open at No. 1 on The New York Times young adult best-seller list when it published in 2015, has signed a new two-book deal with HarperCollins.

First up will be a fourth Red Queen novel scheduled for 2018 to follow the original trilogy. Book two of the Red Queen series, Glass Sword, will publish in February 2016. Book three is on the docket for 2017. To bridge the gap, Aveyard penned two e-novellas, Queen Song and Steel Scars, which are set to be released in September and January.

The second book in the deal — a to-be-determined novel — will publish in 2019.

Movie rights to the Red Queen series sold to Universal Pictures ahead of its publication. Gennifer Hutchison (Breaking Bad) penned the script. THR reported that Elizabeth Banks is in talks to direct.

Aveyard, a 2012 USC graduate, got encouragement for her idea at an on-campus pitch meeting for students. After graduation she moved back home to write the novel.

“Victoria Aveyard’s talent is immense, undeniable and extremely rare,” said Kristen Pettit, executive editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, in a statement. “Her scenes leap from the page and immerse you in her intricately wrought world. I am thrilled to continue to work with Victoria to bring her particular brand of gripping, visceral prose to readers everywhere.”

Aveyard is repped for publishing by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media, co-managed for film & television by Pouya Shahbazian of New Leaf and Benderspink and attorney Steve Younger of Myman Greenspan. Pettit acquired the book for HarperCollins.